Housing benefit ...worried sick

mirry

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me.

My son is 22 and disabled with aspergers/mental health. He is under social services and a year ago he was put on the local council housing list, but we couldn't find anything.
They told us he would get £506 per month for a 1 bed flat. Then one became available in the neighbouring town under a different council. We were assured he would still get the £506 as he's disabled.

So we moved him in five weeks ago and the money has come through for only half the amount? We can't understand why it's a different amount, although it mentions he's only entitled to the single room rate as his mother (myself) receives carers allowance for him.

Why does this change things? I'm shocked and worried how we can meet this short fall.

custardy

mirry wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me.

My son is 22 and disabled with aspergers/mental health. He is under social services and a year ago he was put on the local council housing list, but we couldn't find anything.
They told us he would get £506 per month for a 1 bed flat. Then one became available in the neighbouring town under a different council. We were assured he would still get the £506 as he's disabled.

So we moved him in five weeks ago and the money has come through for only half the amount? We can't understand why it's a different amount, although it mentions he's only entitled to the single room rate as his mother (myself) receives carers allowance for him.

Why does this change things? I'm shocked and worried how we can meet this short fall.

I'm no expert,but what does carers allowance expect?
You have to be available to be providing care,does distance matter in this instance?

mirry

He's only ten mins away as we live almost in the middle of the two councils. He has life threatening allergys to all nuts, eggs,fish,beans (he also has learning difficulties ) so I cook all his meals and deal with all his finances, and clean and organise him, sort out his medications, everyday. But now it seems this effects his housing benefit, which no one told us about and I really wish they had as its left us in a mess

Confuseddot

mirry wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me.

My son is 22 and disabled with aspergers/mental health. He is under social services and a year ago he was put on the local council housing list, but we couldn't find anything.
They told us he would get £506 per month for a 1 bed flat. Then one became available in the neighbouring town under a different council. We were assured he would still get the £506 as he's disabled.

So we moved him in five weeks ago and the money has come through for only half the amount? We can't understand why it's a different amount, although it mentions he's only entitled to the single room rate as his mother (myself) receives carers allowance for him.

Why does this change things? I'm shocked and worried how we can meet this short fall.

Is it the same local authority ? Assuming he receives DLA/pip as you are his career.

https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx

Should be able to tell you what the weekly rate for a 1 bedroom should be.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/what_is_housing_benefit/housing_benefit_if_you_are_under_35

Did you get the information in writing ?

nannytone_2

is it a council property or a private rental?

Bananas123

hello,

if you look on the councils website of his LHA, they should tell you the rates you are eligable for (they are specific to each council (done vs average rental prices for area or something i think)

---

also, if you are single person living in a house i think the rates are much much lower, i think if a carer lives with the person, they are higher, but i do not know that to be correct, hopefully someone can come along and put that right (please ?)

if he is only eligable for "shared accommadation" it can be £60+ p/w for low rate LHA's going up for priceier places, which may be what he is recieving ? (hopefully you can cross reference the councils specific website)

(you get shared accomadation rate if you are single and under 35).

i think over 35's get approximately £15/20 more p/w generally, again subject to individual LHA's.

unfortunately, also, the rates are set in stone, so you are expected to make up the difference from income / benefits.

Ames

As I said on your other thread, carer's allowance shouldn't affect his housing benefit. It's possible that the council have made a mistake and only awarded him the shared rate rather than the one bed. If you could post up exactly what the letter says that would help.

Ames

I hope you don't mind, I've copied these from your other thread as you'll get better responses on this part of the board.

mirry wrote: »

Thank you. My son gets dla middle rate, mobility lower rate and ESA support group.

It says, in working out your weekly benefit we have used the following information...

Your weekly earned income 0
Partners weekly income 0
Any other income £76.90
Total weekly income £76.90
Disregarded income £76.90
Income used in calculations £0

As you said, this is the DLA which isn't counted as income. I'm not sure if the ESA should be mentioned, but if it's income related then it doesn't affect the calculation (it gives an automatic entitlement to LHA).

mirry wrote: »

Then it says,,

Applicable amount

Single claimant £57.90
Disability premium single £32.25
Severe disability premium £61.85

Total applicable amount £152.00

mirry wrote: »

Then in the main letter it says....

You declared in your form that your mother was receiving carers allowance for you. Because of this you are only entitled to the single room rate of local housing allowance of £69.04. If in the future your mum stops getting carers allowance for you, please provide proof of this to the housing benefit department , as his may increase your entitlement.

They seem to be saying that because you claim carer's allowance for him he's only allowed the rate for a room in a shared house and not a one bed flat. Can you look up the LHA rates on your council website to check?

I don't know enough about housing benefit to know whether or not they're supposed to do that, although I've never heard of it. There are people on here who know the rules though, I'm sure they'll be able to answer.

Bogof_Babe

Is it exactly half the amount you were told he would get per month?

Just wondering if he has been paid for half a month, either due to his applicable start date, or maybe because fortnightly is the system in the area he is being paid by.

nannytone_2

also why is the severe disability premium being paid if the mother is claiming carers allowance?

Diary

Ames wrote: »

I hope you don't mind, I've copied these from your other thread as you'll get better responses on this part of the board.



As you said, this is the DLA which isn't counted as income. I'm not sure if the ESA should be mentioned, but if it's income related then it doesn't affect the calculation (it gives an automatic entitlement to LHA).





They seem to be saying that because you claim carer's allowance for him he's only allowed the rate for a room in a shared house and not a one bed flat. Can you look up the LHA rates on your council website to check?

I don't know enough about housing benefit to know whether or not they're supposed to do that, although I've never heard of it. There are people on here who know the rules though, I'm sure they'll be able to answer.

Unless he lives with someone else who gets a qualifying benefit he shouldn't be getting severe disability premium, you need to look into this before any possible over payment becomes bigger. The rules state you cannot get SDP if someone gets carers allowance for looking after you.